Sanitary liner for incubator trays



Nov. 7, 1950 J. M. EBERHART SANITARY LINER FOR INCUBATOR TRAYS Filed July 17, 1946 lNl/ENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE It is a further object of the invention to provide corner liners for incubator trays which are designed to be held in position by the eggs during the preliminary incubation period and to be held in place by spacers or end gates that are mounted on the trays during the final hatching period when the chicks are hatching from the eg s.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawing, constituting a part hereof, in which like reference characters designate like parts, and in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of incubator trays with sanitary corner liners embodying the principles of this invention;

Fig. 2 a similar view of a tray with the eggs removed;

Fig. 3 a vertical cross-sectional view, taken along the line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 an end elevational view taken along the line 4-4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 a vertical cross-sectional view taken along the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 a side elevational view of a corner liner for the incubator trays in its extended position; and

Fig. 7 a view in perspective of a sanitary liner in its folded position for use in the trays.

With reference to the several figures of the drawing, the tray is constructed of sheet metal side and end walls I and 2, respectively, joined at the corners to constitute a rectangular frame or tray having a bottom flange 3 extending around the inner periphery thereof. Reinforcing strips 4 extend from the side members transversely thereof and the bottom of the incubator tray is provided with screening 5 which is soldered to the peripheral flange and cross members 3 and 4. The eggs 6 are placed on the screen in the manner more clearly shown in Fig. 3, and sanitary corner liners I are provided and held in position by the eggs 6 as shown in Fig. 3.

The liners 1 are of relatively thin, stiff calendered cardboard material and are slitted at the center, as shown at 8 in Fig. 6. They are scored at 9 for folding to provide seating flanges l0, Fig. 7, and are scored at I I for folding in the corners 12 as shown in Fig. 7, portions of the flanges Ii! overlapping at the corner as shown in Fig. '7.

In seating the eggs for incubation, they are assembled on the screen mesh 5 with the sanitary corner liners T in place as shown in Fig. 1, and after the initial eighteen day incubation period, end gates or spacers [3 having bifurcated end brackets I4 are mounted on the trays as shown in Fig. 4, the walls of the spacers [3 being perforated as shown at [5 to allow for the free circulation of the incubation medium between the stacked trays. The spacers provide head room for V the chicks as they are hatching and for the purpose of retaining the sanitary corner liners the bifurcated end brackets M are placed over the liners when inserted on the trays so that the brackets [4 hold the corner liners in position against displacement when the eggs break and the chicks are hatched.

After the hatching period when the chicks are removed from the trays the corner liners are removed by withdrawing the spacers l3 and removing the liners. Any droppings or other dirt that has accumulated in the trays is either on the corner liners or on the screen and accessible places of the tray from which it can be washed off without scraping or laborious handling of the trays as is now the required practice. The sanitary corner spacers not only effect a great saving of labor by the elimination of handling of the trays for cleaning, but also improve the sanitation for the chicks and eliminate diseases which frequently occur during the hatching and initial brooding period of the chicks.

It is evident from the foregoing description of the invention that sanitary corner liners as therein described are a great convenience to chicken hatcheries and take up very little room in stock as they can be stacked flat and are conveniently accessible for use.

Although one embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the details of construction without departing from the principles herein set forth.

I claim:

In an incubator tray having a frame provided with vertical side walls and bottom flanges, a screen bottom secured to said bottom flanges, a removable liner coextensive with and covering said flanges, said liner having overlapping corner portions positioned on said bottom flanges of the tray and having an uninterrupted wall extending adjacent the vertical side walls whereby the juncture of said vertical walls is covered by 10 1,926,366

said wall of the liner.

JOHN M. EBEZRI-IART.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 389,625 Windiate Sept. 18, 1888 742,713 Morrison Oct. 27, 1903 827,961 Carrier et a1. Aug. 7, 1906 Bergstein Sept. 12, 1933 2,348,483 Lacy, II, et a1. May 9, 1944: 

